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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: last · coach · mark · chest · perch · mug · saw · charge

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. mark — a trace
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. saw — the tool
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. mark — a grade
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. last — to go on
  9. last — finally
  10. perch — the fish
  11. charge — electricity
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. mug — to rob
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. chest — of your body
  16. mug — a cup
  17. saw — the tool
  18. chest — of your body
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. chest — a box
  21. mug — a face
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. charge — a price
  24. last — final

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com